Heading into Liverpool’s highly anticipated clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday night, one obvious player was stealing all the headlines.

Indeed, it was billed as the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Anfield in the Champions League, but the former Reds prodigy turned Los Blancos star only came on for the final exchanges.

Thankfully, Arne Slot’s resurgent side backed up a 2-0 win over Aston Villa with a superb showing against Xabi Alonso’s challengers, as a full team effort guided the Reds to a memorable 1-0 win on Europe’s grandest stage.

It was a phenomenal performance but there was perhaps an even better display post-game from skipper Virgil van Dijk. Keen to dismiss Trent as a talking point, he simply responded to being asked whether he was going to speak to the right-back with one word: “No.”

So, any talk of a meltdown has subsided now, as Liverpool look to be slowly returning to the polished machine they were last season when the Premier League title was triumphantly lifted.

How Liverpool downed Madrid

There must be something in the water on Merseyside that sees Liverpool raise their game whenever the LaLiga giants stroll into town.

In 2024, the Reds cruised to a 2-0 victory over the Spanish titans, with Alexis Mac Allister on the score sheet that night.

Deja vu occurred on Tuesday evening; therefore, as another comfortable victory saw the former Brighton and Hove Albion star pop up with the decisive match-winner.

Mac Allister headed home Dominik Szoboszlai’s inch-perfect delivery, with the South American also managing to come off at the end of the clash with 100% of his tackles won.

Szoboszlai offered far more than just being a classy operator from set-pieces, with a total of five shots registered by the Hungarian, only for Thibaut Courtois to have another unbelievable night against Slot’s men.

Come the end of the contest, journalist Bence Bocsak even boldly stated that the classy number eight was the “best midfielder on the pitch”.

That’s high praise, indeed, considering the visitors boasted Jude Bellingham in their ranks, but there was no fear in Liverpool’s game, coming up against some of these world-class talents, as evidenced in Conor Bradley’s ice-cold display.

Bradley – who noted that he wasn’t “fazed at all” after the match – came up against 2025 Ballon d’Or runner-up Vinicius Junior, and had him in his pocket all night long, heroically winning seven duels and three tackles.

Yet, there is one more Liverpool hero who could be turning into Slot’s very own Philippe Coutinho in front of our eyes.

Slot has found Liverpool's new Coutinho

Coutinho is remembered for being an exceptional midfield talent at Anfield, capable of lighting up Champions League occasions with his trickery and skill.

His final season for the Reds saw the Brazilian fire home a ridiculous five strikes from five Champions League clashes, with ex-Liverpool midfielder Craig Johnston once stating that Coutinho was the “absolute jewel” in their crown.

Coutinho at Liverpool

Position

Games

Goals + Assists

LW

106

37 + 26

AM

84

15 + 18

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Johnston also stated that he provided Liverpool with “the best of both worlds” in terms of his audacious tricks and flicks, but also his hard work and adaptability for the cause, having often been moved to the left wing during his Anfield career.

That worked a treat, too, with 37 of his 54 career strikes for the red half of Merseyside coming from the left flank.

Florian Wirtz very much put in a Coutinho-like shift against Alonso’s men on Wednesday evening, as the easily scapegoated German was equal parts skill and equal parts grit down the left channel, to ensure a 1-0 win was secured.

Only eight of his 197 games for Bayer Leverkusen would come down this channel, but he looked a natural from this spot against Madrid, with a whopping five key passes amassed come the end of the tie and completing his one and only tackle.

The big-money summer signing has not been at his best in Liverpool colours just yet but this certainly provided hope for the future. There is a player in there, for sure.

Moreover, Wirtz completed all 100% of his dribbles as a constant Coutinho-esque threat for the visitors from Spain to keep tabs on.

He also covered a staggering 11.37km of the pitch just from energetic runs alone, with the aforementioned Johnston also once praising Coutinho for his ability to “keep running.”

In an ideal world, Wirtz would want to play in that preferred number 10 position for Slot and Co week in, week out.

But, with an “outrageous” performance now under his belt on the left – as Liverpool-based account Anfield Wrap described it – the £116m summer buy could slowly be morphing into a Coutinho-like presence, with the goals and assists hopefully flowing soon.

Related Better than Bradley: Liverpool star looked sellable, now he's their star man

Liverpool produced their best performance of the season to defeat Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 5, 2025

Premier League legend Alan Shearer blamed Benjamin Sesko for Manchester United's troubles this season as the Slovenian forward has been told to improve his game. Ex-Arsenal star Theo Walcott, on the other hand, drew comparison between the United summer signing and Thierry Henry. After winning three matches in a row last month, United have now been held to consecutive draws in the Premier League in November.

Sesko's difficult start and injury problems

Ruben Amorim introduced Sesko in the 58th minute of their 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. However, towards the closing stages of the game, the striker had to be taken off following a robust challenge from Micky van de Ven. His cameo performance featured a couple of missed chances. 

The former RB Leipzig star has endured a difficult start to life in England, as he has scored just two goals in the 12 matches he has played thus far for the Red Devils across all competitions. His toothlessness in front of the goal has hampered United's performance at times. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesShearer not impressed by Sesko

Speaking on , Premier League record scorer Shearer said: "Sesko struggled again. He’s only scored twice in his 12 appearances and he came on today with just over half hour to go and had two really, really good chances and should have scored, to be honest. They worked it really well for him to get in. He’s either got to get his shot away early or he’s got to push that ball forward quicker. He’s not going to get that amount of time in the Premier League to work it back on his right foot. This one [Sesko’s second chance] is the bigger puzzle for me. I know he’s struggling for confidence but any centre-forward knows you cannot allow the centre-half to come back at you, you’ve got to get across Van de Ven.

"By that time he should have a picture in his head of where the keeper is and what he wants to do. I don’t think he has a clue he wants to do because I don’t even think he even knows Van de Ven is there and chasing him. I know he’s struggling with confidence but it’s a big ‘must do better’. No one likes to see him coming off injured and we hope his knee is okay but they are two chances you’d expect at that level that someone has to put away."

Sesko compared to Henry

Former Arsenal forward Walcott drew comparison between Sesko and Gunners legend Henry as he added: "As a forward player I’d always be my biggest critic. How many crosses did I get in? How many shots did I have? Did I beat my man? Benjamin Sesko isn’t contributing much at the moment and Manchester United don’t seem to be playing to his strengths. But there is still time.

"I remember when Thierry Henry came to the Premier League – he was a shadow of the player we remember now. I also played with Olivier Giroud – he took about 10 games to really get going, and not many people remember that. We could all see what type of player he was going to be in training."

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Getty ImagesHow serious is Sesko's injury?

After the Spurs clash, Amorim had reacted to the fresh injury of Sesko as he said: "I have no idea. Because it's the knee, we never know. I'm concerned with the injury because it's in the knee. We need Ben to be a better team. We have to check everything, we have to check what has happened with him."

But on Sunday, reported that the injury was not serious and shouldn’t rule Sesko out for a lengthy spell. However, the full extent of the injury will only be revealed after an MRI scan, which will take place in the coming days.

Amorim would hope that the striker recovers quickly during the international break and features for the club in their next Premier League clash against Everton on November 24.

Playing his first Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the 22-year old opener is emerging as one of India’s key players

Alagappan Muthu16-Nov-20243:31

Straight Talk: How can Jaiswal succeed in Australia?

There is a pretty cool bunch of people at the top of the list of Indians with the highest strike rates in Test cricket. Only four of the first ten are specialist batters. One of them is Yashasvi Jaiswal.Players at the top of the order in a game that can go on for five days are meant to try and avoid risk. The lists they would rather be on are most runs, or most hundreds, or best averages. And would you look at that, Jaiswal is there too. He is going to be important for India’s chances in Australia. But he has never faced a challenge like this.Five Tests. Away from home. Against a bowling attack that has quality, depth, variety and venom.Related

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In a career that is now little over a year old, Jaiswal has had occasion to taste bits of those separately. He played five Tests against England, but that was at home. He faced seam-friendly pitches and rip-snorting bowling in South Africa, but that was just two Tests. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will combine the worst of those two events together.India’s training sessions since they landed in Perth earlier this week have been focused on getting their batters used to pace and bounce, to the extent that one of them, KL Rahul, suffered an injury scare, because they know what they are up against. In the last three years, only two countries, where at least two Tests have been played, have been less hospitable for run-scoring than Australia (27.08).And that is fine. Test-match batting is supposed to be difficult, particularly when the red ball still has its shine. It’s on you to stay out there until it gets soft, and then cash in. Except, over the same period, the batting average against the old ball in Australia – assuming it starts to get old after 30 overs of wear and tear – is almost identical to the batting average against the new ball: 27.81 vs 26.64.That may be testament to the discipline of Australia’s bowling attack, and how well they function together. Jaiswal hasn’t really had a chance to face any of them, barring a few balls here and there in the IPL. He is going to have to do a lot of learning on the job, which began in earnest on Tuesday when he joined India A’s net sessions at the WACA, and hit one so hard and so far that the ball ended up on the street outside the ground. It seems he is comfortable that the methods he has been using so far don’t need too much fiddling. There are others who share the same opinion.They stray, he flays: Yashasvi Jaiswal could be key in Australia•Associated Press”He has the ammunition. He has the game to do well in Australia,” former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said on his ESPNcricinfo’s Straight Talk.Give Jaiswal half a chance to play an attacking shot and he will, whether it’s the first ball of the innings, or the second one in a chase. Put him in front of someone who is approaching 700 wickets or someone else who gets it up to 150kph, it’s all the same. They stray, he flays. That’s why a 22-year-old is shaping up as one of India’s most important players on a tour that is going to be long and tough, and lousy with consequence. Even the Australians know it.”He’s scored runs very quickly, but he hasn’t made a mistake. He hasn’t really given the opposition a chance to be able to get him out,” former allrounder Shane Watson said. This was pre-New Zealand though, when Watson was answering a question about whether India will miss someone who is capable of batting time and absorbing pressure, like Cheteshwar Pujara.”I think if those type of batters come out to Australia and play aggressively – just put the bad balls away and put pressure on the Aussie bowlers – then they can still have the same effect, and they keep the game moving as well.”Yashasvi Jaiswal perhaps has work to do in terms of shot selection when the ball is in an in-between length•AFP/Getty ImagesWith 10 of his 14 Tests have come at home, there has been a pattern to Jaiswal’s run-scoring – 902 have come against spin at an average of 75.16, and the remaining 505 have come against seam at an average of 38.84. He likes to take on short-pitched bowling, which he showed once again in a match simulation setting against India A in Perth. But there is perhaps some work to do in terms of shot selection when the ball is in an in-between length. It accounts for seven of Jaiswal’s 13 dismissals to pace so far, at an average of 18.42, and it happened again at the WACA when he was caught in the slips for 15. But he batted again and scored 58.”In Australia, you have to be to the pitch of the ball [to drive] unless the ball gets older, then you can drive on the up,” Manjrekar said. “But Yashasvi will play the new ball, so [he has to be] be careful when he wants to play that drive because that is one of his favourite shots.”Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will be tempting him to make that mistake over and over, again and again. Nathan Lyon won’t let him rest easy either, because even if he bowls the kind of stuff Jaiswal likes, Jaiswal is the kind of batter Lyon likes – a left-hander, against whom he averages 24.20. At every turn, there is an obstacle. At no point can you feel safe. This series, with its relevance, profile and the baseline skill-level it demands from everyone involved, is fire, and Jaiswal will be stepping into it for the first time.He is the kind of batter whose success will breed success for the team because he can upset the opposition’s plans and take their rhythm away. But he is young, and he has never been here before. His success is far from guaranteed, though perhaps his growth is. Jaiswal has a high ceiling, and win, lose or draw, the experience of this Border-Gavaskar Trophy will help him reach it.

Favourites prove too strong despite spinners giving Warwickshire hope

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay27-Jul-2025

Grace Harris’s sparkling 63 not out from 33 balls led Surrey to a five-wicket win over the Bears as they became the inaugural Vitality Blast Women’s champions in front of their home fans at the Kia Oval.The Australian all-rounder grabbed hold of a final which needed a heroine, striking two sixes and seven fours to steer the home side to victory. Fittingly, Southwark-born Kira Chathli, who watched her heroes here as a child, made the winning hit with 20 balls to spare. Amu Surenkumar and Em Arlott took two wickets apiece.Earlier, The Bears struggled to build partnerships with player of the match from the semi-final Issy Wong top scoring with 31 and Laura Harris Sister of Grace a typically ferocious 25 from 11. Phoebe Franklin was the pick of the Surrey attack with 2-16, while two superb runouts helped to further restrict the Bears.Meg Austin caressed the first ball of the innings for four only for Alexa Stonehouse to bowl her with an in-swinger.Davina Perrin’s miserable day with the bat was completed when Capsey castled her for nought and it was hero of the eliminator Issy Wong who gave the powerplay momentum with four boundaries and a five from an overthrow.Stonehouse ended her fun with another ball that hit the stumps and Sterre Kalis was run out by a magnificent throw from the deep by Ryana MacDonald-Gay.Natasha Wraith played nicely for 23 but she and Surenkumar fell in the space of four balls, the latter to a lightning quick stumping by Kira Chathli off Franklin.Laura Harris, was dropped early on and went on the offensive, twice clearing the ropes. Three other boundaries took the Australian to 25, but going for another big hit off Dani Gregory she found the hands of Franklin in the deep.Franklin removed the dangerous Emily Arlott too, but Millie Taylor (20 not out) marshalled the tail, leaving Surrey 154 for the title.Surrey’s chase suffered an early setback when Danni Wyatt-Hodge, prolific in the competition, lost the chance to be leading run-scorer as she holed out in the deep.Skipper Bryony Smith swept and pulled strongly, but fell to the last ball of the powerplay from Surenkumar and when Wraith whipped off the bails to stump Capsey off Hannah Baker, Surrey were floundering at 42-3.Three Sophia Dunkley boundaries from Millie Taylor’s opening over raised hopes for the side playing on their home ground and the England international hit Baker back over her head for six in the next.That was as good as it got for Dunkley who overbalanced trying to hit Surenkumar over the top, Wraith’s fast hands doing the rest.Grace Harris though took up the baton to play the match-defining innings, driving fours cleanly through cover and mid-off.Emily Arlott was dispatched to the sightscreen for six and swept for four, but Paige Scholfield perished in the deep trying to imitate the shot to give the bears renewed hope.Harris though remained to reach 50 at a strike rate of 200, before clubbing Taylor into the seats at midwicket as Surrey scampered home.

خاض فريق إنتر ميامي، بقيادة النجم ليونيل ميسي، مباراته في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الأمريكي نسخة 2025، في الساعات الأولى من صباح يوم الأحد، وذلك ضد نظيره فريق نيويورك سيتي.

واستضاف ملعب “لوكهارت” مباراة فريقي إنتر ميامي ونيويورك سيتي، في نهائي مرحلة البلاي أوف للقسم الشرقي، حيث حققت كتيبة خافيير ماسكيرانو فوزًا بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدف.

وتمكن إنتر ميامي من تسجيل الهدف الأول، في الدقيقة 14 من عمر الشوط الأول من المباراة، عن طريق اللاعب تاديو أليندي، الذي عاد لتسجيل الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 23 بعد تمريرة من جوردي ألبا.

وقلّص نيويورك سيتي الفارق بعدما سجل هدفًا في الدقيقة 37 عن طريق جاستن هاك، ولكن إنتر ميامي سجل الثالث في الدقيقة 67 عن طريق ماتيو سيلفيتي بعد أسيست من ليونيل ميسي.

وفي الدقيقة 83 سجل تيلاسكو هدف إنتر ميامي الرابع، في حين سجل أليندي الهدف الثالث له، هاتريك، والخامس لفريقه في الدقيقة 89.

بتلك النتيجة، تأهل إنتر ميامي إلى نهائي بطولة الدوري الأمريكي نسخة 2025 حيث سيلتقي مع الفائز من نهائي مرحلة البلاي أوف للقسم الغربي، الذي سيجمع بين فريقي سان دييجو وفانكوفر وايت كابس، التي ستُقام بعد قليل.

وستُقام مباراة نهائي بطولة الدوري الأمريكي لذلك الموسم مساء يوم السبت المقبل، 6 ديسمبر.

With nine games played in the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, we’ve already seen the champions’ crown slip, two sackings from one club and one Manchester United fan may just be closing in on a much-needed haircut.

But there’s still plenty more to come and an AI Supercomputer has now predicted how the final table will look come May, using data from the first nine game-weeks to predict every result and the final standings.

Relegation battle

It’s been a refreshing season down at the bottom. As things stand, none of the three promoted sides sit inside the bottom three and all have reached 10 points or above already.

For context of just how important that achievement is, Southampton finished bottom with 12 points after 38 games last season, whilst it took Ipswich and Leicester City all season to reach 22 and 25 points respectively. Sunderland have particularly thrived and sit as high as fourth in the Premier League with 17 points to their name. After nine games, it’s hard to see a world in which they don’t avoid the drop.

The Supercomputer seems to agree with how impressive the promoted sides have been so far this season and believes that, for just the fifth time in Premier League history, all three will avoid the drop. That leaves West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest – the current bottom three – in the dropzone at the end of the season.

Bottom half

Away from relegation trouble, the supercomputer has predicted some comfortable campaigns for Brentford, Everton, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace. Opinions will differ around those clubs whether a mid-table finish would be satisfactory, but Brentford should certainly take hold of that with both hands.

In their first season without Thomas Frank in the Premier League, many predicted the Bees to go down and although there’s still every chance that happens, victory over Liverpool proved just the positive direction that Keith Andrews is taking them. Not only has he steadied the ship, but he has also added his own pragmatic style in West London.

Top half

Look away now Chelsea fans, because your top four spot is up for grabs. According to the Supercomputer, the Blues are in for another frustrating campaign after spending big once more in the summer.

Despite impressing at times, Enzo Maresca’s side have largely remained inconsistent and that could leave them scrapping away to stay in the top six altogether. The same can be said for Newcastle United, who have impressed defensively but remained blunt going forward in the absence of one of the world’s best forwards in Alexander Isak.

Manchester United, meanwhile, have been on the up lately and are just two wins away from five on the bounce. After finishing in the bottom half last season, the Supercomputer believes that Ruben Amorim’s side will earn their place back inside the top six and above Chelsea.

Top four and Premier League winners

From the glory of champions, the most glaring prediction that the Supercomputer has made centres around Liverpool’s fall from grace. It does believe that the Reds will finish inside the top four, but as many as 17 points behind league leaders Arsenal in a title defence to forget for Arne Slot. Given that they’re currently winless in four league games, however, the Dutchman may just take that final table.

As for Tottenham Hotspur, from the chaos of Ange-ball, they’re expected to rise to as high as third in the league under Frank. The Lilywhites have started in excellent fashion under the Dane and could yet continue that to earn their way back into the top four.

For the Gunners, meanwhile, glory may finally be on the horizon. They’ve waited over two decades to lift the Premier League title again and have been forced to applaud both Liverpool and Manchester City in recent years. Now, at long last, it could finally be Mikel Arteta’s year. The Supercomputer has even gone as far as to predict that they’ll win it by 13 points.

Thomas Tuchel has embraced the idea of England’s substitutes being nicknamed the "bomb squad" after powerful performances off the bench helped the Three Lions secure a 2-0 victory over Serbia at Wembley. With Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze all making an impact despite not being in the starting lineup, the England boss insisted his team is built on unity rather than star names.

• England continue perfect World Cup qualifying campaign

  England continued their flawless World Cup qualifying run with a controlled 2-0 win over Serbia, securing another clean sheet in what has become one of the most dominant campaigns in the nation’s history. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring with a superb volley, but it was the introduction of Bellingham, Foden and Eze that truly changed the dynamic of the match. Their added energy and invention helped England regain control in the second half before the latter sealed the victory with a brilliant late strike.

  The impact off the bench reflected Tuchel’s broader approach to squad harmony, particularly in a team packed with elite club-level starters competing for limited roles. With England operating at a high tempo and against opponents determined to frustrate, Tuchel’s substitutions injected the speed, pressing intensity and technical sharpness needed to break Serbia down for the second time on the night.

  The result extended England’s record to seven wins from seven, with 20 goals scored and none conceded, establishing them as the only European side in history to reach a World Cup with a 100% winning and clean-sheet qualifying record this deep into a campaign. It also demonstrated the flexibility and adaptability Tuchel has demanded since taking charge in January, with every squad member expected to remain mentally ready despite fierce positional competition.

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• AFP
  

  Tuchel likes 'bomb squad' nickname for substitutes

  Speaking after the win, Tuchel was asked about the South African rugby team’s "bomb squad" nickname for their substitutes and whether England might adopt something similar. He admitted he approved of the idea, saying: "I have not named it in a different way but I kind of like it. I like bomb squad a bit more than finisher."

  Tuchel explained the tactical reasoning behind this mindset, emphasising that modern football requires a full squad to win at the highest level. He said: "That’s the nature of this game. The possibility that we go to Albania (on Sunday) and start with 11 and finish with the same 11 goes to zero, and even more so in a tournament. This is not about building a starting 11, it’s about building a team."

  He then praised the attitude within the England camp, highlighting the need for humility and togetherness. Tuchel added: "They’re all big players in their club, they’re all used to playing, they’re all disappointed. Everyone. This is normal. But they buy into this idea of building a team and this is what we want, this is what we need. There is no other way around it.

  "Only if we’re a strong group who can put the ego behind (them), who can put the disappointment behind, and then contribute and give the coach a headache what to do in the next match, that’s the only way. I like it because it’s natural for this team. The atmosphere after the matches, during the matches is the right energy and I think everyone is treating everyone with respect. The ones on the pitch know that they can rely on everyone who comes from the bench to finish the game. You could see the impact today, and it has to stay like this. We just need everybody fully involved, especially mentally to accept the decision of the match day and then to continue."

• Getty Images
  

  Bellingham and Foden impress on England return

  The victory over Serbia was not only another clean sheet but also a continuation of a historic defensive run under Tuchel, with England yet to concede in any qualifier. Jordan Pickford has now recorded ten straight competitive clean sheets, supported by a defensive unit that has embraced Tuchel’s structured pressing and high-possession philosophy. Ezri Konsa, John Stones and Declan Rice were among those producing key interventions during Serbia’s most threatening moments.

  The game also marked Bellingham’s first England appearance since June, and Tuchel eased him back into action with a second-half cameo rather than a start. The Real Madrid star combined sharply with Reece James and Foden, showing his usual drive from midfield while also helping England sustain pressure in the final third. His return adds another layer of complexity to England’s midfield competition.

  Foden, meanwhile, was deployed as a false nine – a tactical switch Tuchel had planned months in advance – and his smart positioning created the space for Eze’s late finish. The Manchester City star operated between Serbia’s defensive lines, linking play and drifting wide to overload key areas on the right alongside Saka and James.

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• England look to cap off flawless campaign against Albania

  England now travel to Albania in their final World Cup qualifier, aiming to complete a perfect campaign while giving Tuchel another opportunity to experiment ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The manager may continue rotating his squad, with several players pushing for more minutes and others, including Bellingham, building match sharpness after recent fitness concerns.

  Tuchel will also be evaluating how best to structure his attack as the team approaches next summer’s tournament, particularly with competition intensifying across midfield and the front line. Players such as Eze, Foden, Palmer and Bellingham are all vying for advanced positions, and Tuchel’s willingness to use them flexibly could become a decisive advantage. England’s depth remains one of the strongest in international football, and the manager has reiterated the importance of harnessing that strength.

In the final minutes before the trade deadline hit, the Minnesota Twins agreed to trade reliever Griffin Jax to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for starting pitcher Taj Bradley, ESPN'sJeff Passan reported.

The Rays ship off another starting pitcher after previously sending right-handed starter Zack Littell to the Reds on Wednesday. They bring in Jax, who is 1-– with a 4.50 ERA and 72 strikeouts through 46 innings pitched this season. While his ERA isn't ideal, Jax has tallied an impressive amount of strikeouts, and holds a 5.5 strikeout-walk ratio this season.

After being the biggest sellers at the deadline this year, the Twins bring in Bradley, who is 6–6 with a 4.61 ERA and 95 strikeouts through 21 starts this season. Minnesota had previously traded away utilityman Willi Castro, infielder Carlos Correa, outfielder Harrison Bader, starting pitcher Chris Paddack, and relievers Jhoan Duran, Danny Coulombe and Brock Stewart all in the final days before the deadline.

By the time the Twins take the field again for Friday's game against the Guardians, their lineup and bullpen might be unrecognizable.

The CSK allrounder talks about the reception he has received in the league, and his ambitions to play the Ashes and the T20 World Cup

Matt Roller24-Apr-2025Jamie Overton tends to spend April in leafy Kennington, keeping a low profile in the early weeks of the County Championship season. This year, even a 500-yard walk down the road from a hotel to a café is enough to prompt countless requests for selfies.”I don’t really get noticed in London,” Overton says from Mumbai, midway through his first IPL season with Chennai Super Kings. “Everyone just goes about their business. But cricket is just so big over here that everyone recognises who you are… You can’t go out too much without 30 or 40 people coming up to you, asking for pictures. It’s a different world.”For Chennai, doubly so. After eight group games, they sit dead last with only two wins, but their “Yellow Army” has been as visible as ever, dominating the stands even at away fixtures in Guwahati, Mullanpur and Lucknow. MS Dhoni, who has resumed the captaincy with Ruturaj Gaikwad injured, still attracts a unique following at the age of 43.Related

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• Dhoni's 400th T20 sees CSK and SRH in now-or-never territory

• Dhoni: 'Important to get the right combination for next year'

“I messaged my dad and my agent after the first home game. I was like, ‘You have to come out and experience MS walking out to the middle,'” Overton says. “[Ravindra] Jadeja got run-out… and you had a home crowd cheering for someone to get run-out. I’ve watched Premier League games, plenty of other sports events, and there’s nothing else like that noise.”Until this year, Overton’s only experience of India was an England Lions tour in early 2019. But after also touring with England’s white-ball team early this year, he is growing accustomed to travelling between huge cities and spending most of his time in hotels. With games and training sessions under floodlights, he is “still on English time” despite the 4.5-hour difference.Overton has played three games to date in an unfamiliar role: a hard-hitting finisher and hard-length fast bowler elsewhere on the T20 circuit, he has only faced seven balls to date and has bowled four of his six overs in the powerplay. “I’m trying to find a way to do it,” he says. “The last three years, I’ve not bowled in the powerplay at all… It’s been a bit different.”But he is determined to make use of the opportunity to train in Indian conditions, after struggling against spin in an England shirt earlier this year. He has worked closely with Rajiv Kumar, CSK’s “batting guru”, adjusting his technique to counter the lower bounce, and has been watching Dhoni from close quarters.

“I messaged my dad and my agent after the first home game. I was like, ‘You have to come out and experience MS [Dhoni] walking out to the middle'”

“He holds the bat quite low with his hands, whereas I’m more an English or Australian version, with quite high hands,” Overton explains. “The spinners don’t get as much bounce [in India] so I’m trying to be a bit lower, with my hands a bit more relaxed, so I can keep my head really close to the ball… I feel like I’m in a good place with my batting.”Those improvements may come in particularly useful early next year, when Overton will hope to be part of England’s squad for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. It was about 12 months ago that a stress fracture of the back denied him a place at the 2024 edition, prompting a spell on the sidelines.”I’m in a better place now for being injured,” he reflects. “It actually gave me time to reassess what I need to do with my health.” He had struggled to manage his diet during a winter on the franchise circuit and sought advice from Surrey’s nutritionist Ollie Whiteman; six months later, he had shed 10kg.It is a change that Overton believes could help him extend his career. “When I’m bowling, I put seven or eight times my body weight through my knees and my back every ball. Taking 10kg off… If you’re playing a four-day game and bowling 30 overs, that is a hell of a lot of difference in the strain you’re putting on your body.”The mention of four-day cricket underlines that Overton retains ambitions across formats – for now, at least. He turned 31 this month and concedes that he may be having “some different conversations” in two years’ time but hopes to return to red-ball cricket at some stage this year and believes he could thrive on Australian pitches if selected for the Ashes this winter.In six white-ball games for England in India earlier this year, Overton took nine wickets at an economy of 8.27•Getty Images”Ashes cricket is probably the pinnacle for English players, and I feel like I’ve got a decent record on Australian pitches,” he says. “It probably suits my game more than wickets back in England – but I’m not expecting anything. I need to play red-ball cricket to give myself a chance of being there, so we’ll just see where we get to when I’m back home.”His home season is likely to start with T20Is and ODIs against West Indies and will be dominated by white-ball cricket – including the Hundred, where he was the top pick at March’s draft. “There’s not many bowlers that play all three formats now. I’ve obviously had issues with my body, so the first thing is to make sure that’s in the right spot before going into anything.”I bowled ten overs in the Afghanistan game [at the Champions Trophy], but I’ve not bowled more than that in a day since last April. It’s going to take a lot to get the body back to those bowling workloads, and we’ll just see where we go and play it by ear. It’s a short career, so you’ve got to maximise it while keeping your body in a good place.”But those conversations will come down the line, with Overton soaking in his first IPL experience in the here and now. “Any person’s dream is to travel the world doing what they love doing and I’m fulfilling that at the moment. I’m grateful for whatever I’m doing. Hopefully, it goes on for a lot longer.”

Glamorgan’s promotion bid encounters further resistance despite Crane taking five wickets

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Sep-2025Saif Zaib continued his prolific summer, becoming the first Northamptonshire batter to score six Championship tons in a season since Lance Klusener in 2006 as he posted 145 (186 balls) on day three of this Rothesay County Championship against Glamorgan at Wantage Road.Zaib, the second leading run-scorer in Division Two, extended his overnight score of 76, smashing a total of 22 fours and two sixes as he shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 56 in 15 overs with debutant Ben Whitehouse (6 not out).Despite Mason Crane taking 5 for 126, his second five-wicket haul this season, Zaib’s innings further held up Glamorgan’s promotion hunt as Northamptonshire moved to 413 for nine, 54 runs behind, when rain ended play early after just 95 minutes. With Ben Kellaway off the field injured, part-time spinner Kiran Carlson finished with 2 for 43.Earlier heavy morning rain prevented play getting underway until 1.50pm, Northamptonshire resuming on 309 for five. New batter Aadi Sharma (25) came out determined to make up for lost time, saving the follow-on when he pulled a dragdown from Carlson for six before flicking Crane through midwicket and slog sweeping him for another maximum. Sharma’s aggression ultimately proved his downfall though as he pulled Carlson straight to the deep midwicket fielder on the side with the longer boundary.Zaib moved through the 80s as he reverse swept Carlson for four, while Lewis McManus ran a single to take Northamptonshire to 350 and secure a third batting bonus point.But McManus soon became Crane’s fifth victim when he went to cut and edged behind, Northamptonshire quickly losing an eighth wicket when Liam Guthrie was adjudged lbw to Carlson.Zaib though was undeterred, advancing closer to his century when he reverse swept Crane for four to move to 99. He turned down a single to protect Whitehouse, before crunching one straight down the pitch to reach three figures off 136 balls.Whitehouse proved an admirable foil as Zaib continued to attack the Glamorgan spinners, sweeping a full toss from Crane for four and depositing Carlson over deep midwicket for six.With the skies starting to darken, Timm van der Gugten and James Harris took the new ball under the floodlights, Zaib responding by playing a remarkable pull shot over fine leg for six.Despite Whitehouse’s stoic defence, Glamorgan’s seamers will regret not targeting his stumps more, the debutant bringing up Northamptonshire’s fourth batting bonus point when he edged Harris low through the slip cordon for four. Zaib then emphatically pulled the Glamorgan quick through midwicket to bring up the 50 partnership off 74 balls.It took a dazzling bit of fielding from sub fielder Zain ul Hassan at deep cover who initially fumbled the ball, before turning in a direct hit to run out Zaib coming back for a second run without putting in a dive to ground his bat.With the rain returning shortly afterwards, the players took an early tea, but hopes of a resumption at 5.30pm were dashed by further downpours.